Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-04-09
LOS PESITENTEs."
Religious Fanatics who Regularly Mortify
the Flesh.

'At tCrh.
Mrinidan, Col, Telegram: Through
out southern Colorado and New Mex
leo exists band Of religious men who
chHsilse the flesh 10 such an extent
that very often death results soon
after. These people are of Spanish
and Indian origin, and the mixing of
the two bloods has produced y people
who partake Of the traits of the In
dian, but for all that retain the lam
guage, customs, and religion of their
: Danish cOnqueroTs.
After the conquest Of the Spaniards
the native race was not long in alb
sorbiDg the higher civilization of their
masters and the Roman Catholic re
ligion was the first thing which left
its impression, soon converting them
aad thus gaining band of adherents
that will never accept any other form
OF religion. This conversion was
mainly the work of the Franciscan
monks, who, rs il is well known, COM
pose an order of the Catholic belief
which Is noted for its severity. Aus
terity. fasting, and the punishment OF
the flesh are strict tenets in their mode
OF seeking salvation.
From this order grew what Is now
known rs the Order Of Penitentes, a
body Of religious fanatics which has
not only Incorporated the auslerity of
the FraDciscaDs, tut has also added
many more barbsrous practices To
their form of Standardization. These
practices have developed the dormant
spirit Of the savage, which for three
centuries had been under the control
Of influences not at all IN sympathy
with the barbaric mythology Of the
Indian race.
On Ash Wednesday these men un-
der the leadership of their jefe (cbief, }
congregate in some secret place aud
pleuge themselves to mortiiy the body
TO such an extent rs To sometimes csuse
death. Cutting cross In the back
with sharp stone the penitente keeps
the wound open during the season of
Lent As the season advances his
self-constituted punishments takes the
form Of savsgery, and the climax Is
reached in the last week In Lent or la
seinsDa de Passion, when with relig-
ious frenzy these men stripped OF
their cothes. leaving their shirts and
drawers a. their only protection, whip
themselves until the blood trickles on
the ground, leaving n Dark red path
from their place of secret meeting to
the capella or chapel. where other Sc
we're principles are gone through.
The whip used by these people H.
made Of the soap weed tphalangru
pomsridiauum), having long sharp
blades which, when even but slightly
touched, prich one TO the bone. These
are woven together and make an ex.
cellently adapted instrument of tor
ture for the penitentes. Sometime.
salt and vinegar are applied 10 the
wounds, but not word OF paiu e..
capes rom the victim, although his
face would speak volumes iii were
not covered up.
After coming within 200 yards OF
their chapel some Of the victims get
down on their hands aud knees and
crawl over cacIi especially placed there
for the purpose. while others carry
heavy crosses which bend them in
two. While all this ceremony is gone
through u mourpful chant is kept up.
Under these suflerings some succunb
10 nature aud are carried away never
to be heard of more; Others continue
these practices. and on Good Friday
the height Of the torture is reached,
when many fall 10 the ground unBble
to bear the lash, whose every blow
makes the flesh quiver and opens a
wound, laying bare the bone.
The expected reward for all this IL
the forgiveness Of sins committed
during the year, and many crimes are
carried out by these men, they know.
ing that the torture Of the Lenten sea.
son will wash them all away.
They are pledged by solemn oaths
TO protect and defend each other
against outsiders, no matter what the
crime may be, and juries composed OF
this race OF people will clear one OF
their number, although guilty Of @
heinous crime Their sign OF recogni'
tion Ia Hermano (brotberl, repeated In
a low voice on meeting. In New
Mexico the balance Of political power
il in their hands in many counties
aud a pentenre Is elected TO Office, not
for any executive ability, but for hi,
standing 10 the order.
The day IL not far distant when tn,
panitentes will be suppressed, as such
barbarity cannot be passed over b,
American progress, and the sooner 1